Well cheers to 60 years of the longest written constitution of any sovereign country in the world, containing 395 articles in 22 parts, 14 schedules (or a total of 1,17,369 words in the English language version) and many amendments, but alas Republic Day celebrations this year would still fake around the qualms and tribulations which grim around India today under the pompous shows in schools, colleges, workplaces and of course New Delhi.
Growing up eating all 4 ladoos myself all these years at this day didn’t give me great plight. I know for sure the Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar did a very tedious job assembling all the good things to bind up people of India and run the country the way it is being run today and I whole heartedly appreciate the attempt but the question which ponders over me (now that I have grown up to an extend that my grey matter reflects the sensitivity of the society) is “is aal well ???”
I tried to peep into the constitution and found the glorious words like sovereignty, equality, justice, secularism, fraternity… Needless to say that this self governing state has stood great tides of time defending the essence of the constitution but the satisfaction is nowhere to be seen. Be it the Ruchika case, Satyam Scam, formation of separate states out of existing ones, and many more of such kinds, I really wish people could have tried to relate to the onus of being an Indian.
It is not an uncommon notion that basics of science and math developed here in India and we still produce many scientists and engineers for developed nations (those facts which you easily get as SMSs and behind your notebooks) but why have we stopped living up to our standards is the question that disturbs me the most. Why is it that we have lost the sense to appreciate the good will, the sense of justice, the righteousness or the godliness? I may sound a bit essayish here but why is it that our profit does come ahead of our nation’s prosperity and growth?
The world is shrinking to a dot and there is practically now 6 degrees of separation left so I am a dumbstruck who cannot even get out of the ages old political drawn lines. This may be the point of view most of the people have but from the way I see it, it is completely the other way round. When we cannot even come out of our state, religion, linguistic boundaries, how can we talk of skipping the national ones? Even if nations cease to exist in this globally united world, why is it that India has to spend billions of rupees just for our safety, a couple of billion for educating us and rest majorly on covering up our demits (building old age homes for our parents whom we leave, planting trees to give us air to breathe and what not), fights (over states, water, dams, religion), and scams?
There is only one possible explanation…the ugly, naked our beautiful (depending upon your eyes) truth. And that truth is we all make India, as it is, today. It is we who contribute money so that it can be channelized to benefit us, it is we who choose worthy people who can take the responsibility of making wise decisions, it is we who enjoy equal rights and opportunities. So why is it that we are stealing from our own thing, robbing ourselves, cursing ourselves for falling prey to such petty things, for not being able to prosper as it had been years before, brooding over petty issues and behaving as slaves of our own selves?
On this Tuesday, try and get up early in the morning to attend the nearest flag hoisting ceremony. If you succeed in doing so, throw a glance at the tiranga when the national anthem is played… I bet you would wish the flag to flutter with the wind continuously as your chest expands owing to the glory of the country and your eyes moisten with the beautiful relation you define with the flag in your very own terms. No question will remain unanswered and we would move a step closer to our definition of India.
Jai Hind!!!
Saamir Gupta